Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0048’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pelargonium  plant named ‘PEQZ0048’ particularly distinguished by the bright red colored inflorescences held above the medium-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium interspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0048’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEQZ0048’.

‘PEQZ0048’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PEQZ0048’ has bright red colored inflorescences held above the medium-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

‘PEQZ0048’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in February 2007 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘Calliope Dark Red’, U.S. Pat. No. 20,245, a dark red flowered variety with a semi trailing habit.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0048’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10502-3’, a plant with a red semi double flower. The resultant seed was sown in April 2008.

‘PEQZ0048’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in August 2008 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0048’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the September 2008 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in December 2009 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0048’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0048’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘PEQZ0048’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEQZ0048’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEQZ0048’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1, a single plant with approximately 2 inflorescence stalks and in FIG. 2, a close-up of a single flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions, measurements, and photo were taken in Gilroy, Calif. in December 2017 under natural light. These plants were approximately 10 weeks old and were grown in a 4.5 inch pots, in a greenhouse trial.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2015.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEQZ0048’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘Cope Scarfir’, U.S. Plant Pat. ‘PEQZ0048’ No. 20,466) Flower Darker red Scarlet red color: Umbel: Higher Lower petal petal density density Earliness: 5-7 days later to 5-7 days earlier to flower flower

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             rounded growth habit, heat and drought tolerant with             continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, edema             tolerance, well-branched plant habit.         -   Plant height.—20-22.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—21-24.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—33-37.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 144A.         -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—RHS 144B.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137D.         -   Length.—9-11.0 cm.         -   Width.—10-12.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute to truncate.         -   Margin.—Dentate to ciliate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—None.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137D.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 137D.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 137D.         -   Petiole length.—8-11.0 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—5.         -   Color of stem.—Between RHS 144B.         -   Length of stem.—6-12.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5-0.7 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—2.5-3.0 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 137D.         -   Length of peduncle.—13-16.0 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3-0.35 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 137D turning to RHS 187D.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.7-3.2 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15-0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hairs. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS 59B.         -   Length.—2.0 cm.         -   Width.—1.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—5, with 3 immature             umbels and 2 mature.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—11-13.0 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—7-9.0 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Single to semi-double.         -   Number of petals.—9.         -   Diameter of flower.—5-5.5 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—2-2.5 cm.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS N45B.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 51A.         -   Length of upper petals.—3.0 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—2.4 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS N45B.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 53C.         -   Length of lower petals.—2.5-2.8 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—2.4-2.5 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 144B.         -   Length of sepals.—1.3-1.6 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Apiculate.         -   Margins.—Mostly fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—1.0 cm.         -   Style color.—Closest to RHS 53D.         -   Style length.—0.4 cm.         -   Stigma color.—Closest to RHS 53B.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 144A.         -   Ovary length.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—7-10.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 54A with RHS NN155D basally.         -   Length filaments.—0.8-1.0 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS N92D.         -   Length of anthers.—0.2 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS N25A.         -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0048’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 